Interaction Between Superplasticizers and Calcium Aluminate Hydrates

Abstract

Sodium lignosulfonate and naphthalene and melamine sulfonate formaldehyde condensates, dissolved in lime water, are adsorbed on C4AH13 and C3AH6. When dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide the same admixtures are adsorbed on C4AH13 but, apparently, not on C3AH6. The adsorption isotherms of the two polycondensates are very similar but different from those of lignosulfonate. This fact can be attributed to the considerable structural difference between the synthetic admixtures and the lignine derivative. The particle zeta potential is modified by the presence of the admixtures, minimum additions of which are enough to bring the zeta potential to negative constant values. Nevertheless, the values of the potential cannot be correlated with the viscosity of the aluminate hydrate pastes, since the viscosity first increases and then decreases as the admixture increases. This behavior can be explained by a bridging effect among the particles, which overcomes the repulsive effect due to zeta potential.